Saturday, March 01, 2008

A Promise Broken, a Lawsuit Filed

Daniel Smith thought he had an agreement. The prep defensive back from Boise says he accepted a scholarship offer April 28 from Hawaii. As part of the unwritten deal, Smith agreed not to talk to other schools and inform them that he was already committed to the Warriors.

He followed those orders for 10 months only to have a Hawaii assistant call Smith's mother in January and claim that her son hadn't received an official offer. When signing day arrived, the crestfallen Smith found himself without a school and without a scholarship.

Smith has gone on the offensive, filing a lawsuit against Hawaii and former defensive line coach Jeff Reinebold, who is now the receivers coach at Southern Methodist. All Smith wants is his promised scholarship, according to Andy Staples of SI.com.

Although Smith's situation is not unique, it's believed to be the first time a recruit has filed a lawsuit over a broken promise. If Smith wins the case, it could change the landscape of recruiting.